Question: Why do people cheer for the University of Alabama football team when they didn't attend school there?

[Moro Creek]

My Dad drove a cookie truck for Gregs Cookie Company. J. A. Stuckey Candy Company in Tuscaloosa was always his first delivery of the week. This was in the early fifties and I would go with him almost every week in the summer starting when I was about 6 years old. I will always remember the Moon Winx Motel and was in awe of Denny Stadium (now Bryant Denny). Fell in love with Alabama sports at that time and read everything I could read and always listened to the game on Saturday on radio. Thank God I'm a Bama fan. ROLL TIDE.

 

[CB4]

My Dad drove a cookie truck for Gregs Cookie Company. J. A. Stuckey Candy Company in Tuscaloosa was always his first delivery of the week. This was in the early fifties and I would go with him almost every week in the summer starting when I was about 6 years old. I will always remember the Moon Winx Motel and was in awe of Denny Stadium (now Bryant Denny). Fell in love with Alabama sports at that time and read everything I could read and always listened to the game on Saturday on radio. Thank God I'm a Bama fan. ROLL TIDE.

Man I loved Greg’s cookies as a kid! I remember the small country store across the street from where I lived had the big “Greg’s Cookies” containers on the counter.

 

[rolltide_21]

Everyone in my family is a Bama grad except for me. Our fall Saturdays have always revolved around when Bama is playing. I went to a small Christian school in Tennessee because I wanted to go into ministry. Had I been any other major, I would've gone to Bama. After my first semester, I actually filled out transfer papers to go to the Capstone and had my transcripts sent. Decided to go back to my original school instead after a couple of weeks away to clear my head. It would have been a win-win either way, but I know I wouldn't be in the good situation I'm in now had I changed.

 

[RTR2u]

I was born and raised in AL, but I live in enemy territory now (GA). You declare allegiance to AL or AU in the womb. I made the correct choice there, but attended/graduated from JSU because I wanted to march with Southerners. Plus, I knew my mom couldn't afford to send me to Bama. She taught me to follow Alabama football and hate all things regarding Auburn.

 

[dWarriors88]

My Mom’s dad taught criminal Justice at the University of Alabama in the 80’s. From as long as I can remember life in the fall I remember my grandpa yelling at the tv on Saturdays. My mom and uncle inherited that naturally. My brother and sister in law both graduated UofA with their degrees, and our family actually owned a backstore on campus up until pretty recently, recently enough I was able to get a personalized autograph from Coach Saban maybe in 2008 or 9. I of course moved to Oklahoma from Mobile when I was only a Jr in HS, so the dream never got realized for myself to attend UofA. But during that move in 2007 I anchored to my favorite University pretty hard, sporting the Crimson A on all my clothes and truck. I remember catching people that would say to me “you’re just a bandwagon fan”, to which I would reply, “nah I was born into this”
It is predominantly Sooner country out here and how sweet it was to be here when they lost the BCS title game against Florida (que “SEC” chant). All that winning from then on from our boys though made me obsessed with Alabama football, I think the move out here to Oklahoma really galvanized my love for the school and teams though.

 

[UAH]

I worked my way painfully through UAH and ultimately received a degree. The first person in my family to graduate from a university. Obviously one of the most positive things I ever accomplished.

My Dad loved sports and one of the first memories of Bama football was he and my uncle watching the Coach Bryant's 1st Liberty Bowl in the ice of Philadelphia. During those years it was common to root for both Alabama and Auburn. Punt Bama Punt in 72 was likely the end of any Auburn affliation for most Bama fans. A short time after Coach Bryant arrived the usual Saturday was planned around the game and listening to the magic of John Forney and Bama Radio.

As Forney said after the loss to to Tennessee in 67 "We have been to the mountain". It has been a heck of a ride.

 

[Saban4Ever]

I was born and raised in AL, but I live in enemy territory now (GA). You declare allegiance to AL or AU in the womb. I made the correct choice there, but attended/graduated from JSU because I wanted to march with Southerners. Plus, I knew my mom couldn't afford to send me to Bama. She taught me to follow Alabama football and hate all things regarding Auburn.

I live in GA now too (raised in B'ham and Jacksonville). My true friends are okay about football talk, but random people or casual acquaintances are just immature to be around here in UGA territory. I also went to JSU. I used to love attending all their football and basketball games in the mid to late 80's. Marching Southerners were really good too.

 

[Professor]

I was raised in Western North Carolina. Two degrees in Chemistry from Wake Forest and a Ph.D. in chemistry from UVa. Had offers to teach at University of Arkansas, Virginia Tech and Alabama. No contest. Alabama!
While at Alabama I taught Chemistry, was Assistant Dean of Arts and Sciences, Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Assistant Vice President for Research (the first person to have that title). That was 1967-77. The Bear was coaching and I got to know him. Traveled with the team on three occasions. Sat on the the bench. In the dressing room. Ate all meals with the team. Not many years ago I wrote a pamphlet "Traveling with the Tide." It was published here on Tide Fans.
In 1977 moved to East Tennessee State as Vice President for Academic Affairs. After four years there moved to my wife's home town of Albemarle NC and have been in the jewelry business ever since. I now own the store in Albemarle and work full time at the ripe old age of 84. Will be 85 Saturday, August 31. The store, Starnes Bramlett Jewelers, is 125 years old and is decorated with lots of Crimson and Roll Tides.
From the day I drove on the Alabama campus in 1967 for my interview I have been an ardent Alabama fan. Prior to that I had no real familiarity with the school. I love Wake Forest, University of Virginia and East Tennessee State, but my loyalty is totally to Alabama.
You cannot imagine how many Alabama fans there are here in our small city of Albemarle. And I believe all over North Carolina.
You folks who live in Alabama and have a close relationship with the University are very fortunate.
Roll Tide!
One more thing to note. In 1967 Coach Bryant started what he called a "Run for your Life" program for faculty. I signed up and am still running. Five miles at a time, three days a week. That's at the age of 84. And you thought Forrest Gump was a runner!
I love all you Crimson Tiders.

 

[Padreruf]

I moved to Mobile, Alabama in the summer 1959 at age 8 ½ -- from Louisiana -- and my best friends were Bama fans. I wanted to attend UA in 1969, but my friends there tended to party and my Dad did not want me to go there, flunk out, and have to go in the military during Vietnam -- he had buried several young men and 1 nephew. I went to Samford, partied and went to Tuscaloosa quite a bit. My best friend played at Bama as did my wife's father and brother. My oldest son graduated from there as well.

Alabama athletics gave many a sense of value and meaning that they could get nowhere else. Under CPB we could compete with not only UGA and UT, but the big, bad schools across the country. We were as good as they were...

The chess match nature of football really intrigued me...and continues to do so. Sometimes I think that for one with a Phd. in theology and serving as a minister for 45 years I have given far too much time to something as unimportant as college athletics. But then, it has been a wonderful diversion from dealing with people's issues.

 

[Isaiah 63:1]

Growing up in Birmingham in the 70s was all it took for me, as was probably the case for most Alabama-raised boys around my age unless they had AU ties already.

My degree is from another university, but I'd have been an Alabama fan even had I, horribile dictu, attended Auburn...

 

[Tide Rev]

Grew up in an Auburn household, learned early to hate AU, and fell in love with Coach Bryant and Bama in the late 60’s, been hooked ever since for 50+ years. I just cannot stomach most Auburn fans. When I met my wife, she was an Aubie. But not anymore, I have converted her to be a Bama fan! RTR!

 

[Ratal]

I was born and raised in Kentucky. My dad was born, and grew up, around Courtland. He was 57 when I was born. Vacation ever year was visiting family around the Decatur area. Growing up my dad would speak fondly of coach Bryant. I guess he really reminded me of my dad. I mostly likely developed an attachment just to have something in common with my dad. My fandom has grown ever since.

I remember writing a paper my freshman year of high school predicting that Alabama would face Miami in the Sugar Bowl. Of course I said Alabama would win. All of the boys in my class blew their top. Fast forward and I never thought I would be able to leave the state for college. It just never occurred to me. I eventually earned my MBA from Capella. I still look up distanced learning degrees from UA just to be an alum.

 

[Tidewater]

I worked my way painfully through UAH and ultimately received a degree. The first person in my family to graduate from a university. Obviously one of the most positive things I ever accomplished.

My Dad loved sports and one of the first memories of Bama football was he and my uncle watching the Coach Bryant's 1st Liberty Bowl in the ice of Philadelphia. During those years it was common to root for both Alabama and Auburn. Punt Bama Punt in 72 was likely the end of any Auburn affliation for most Bama fans. A short time after Coach Bryant arrived the usual Saturday was planned around the game and listening to the magic of John Forney and Bama Radio.

As Forney said after the loss to to Tennessee in 67 "We have been to the mountain". It has been a heck of a ride.

Was John Forney from Calhoun County?

 

[bamaga]

I was a Bama fan well before I was old enough to attend the school, heck before I Was old enough to attend elementary school. My family and I have donated through the years to the University, Alumni associations, Tide Pride, bought season tickets . While I attended University of Alabama Birmingham, I have 5 family members that are graduates of UA , some earning post graduate degrees including my Daughter . We also had 8 season tickets for 20+ years giving them up in Saban’s first year. I watched in person the team lose to inferior opponents in heavy downpours in Legion field and on homecoming . Entitled is a bad word these days, but I feel as if I am entitled to be a Bama fan. I have earned it.

 

[BamaHoHo]

Why does it matter? I was born into a Bama family and have been a fan as soon as I knew what was going on. Went to the University and made it to my Jr year.

 

[UAH]

Was John Forney from Calhoun County?

Looking at his biography he was born in LA but apparently received most of his education in Alabama. We would need to dive a bit deeper to know the details.

 

[CrimsonTusk]

Way back when Bama wasn't on TV much,... mainly the Tennessee, auburn and bowl games, we listened to the radio. A lot of Fall Saturdays mom would have the radio on, sitting on the porch and we raked leaves while listening to the games. I really hated those pin oak leaves. Simple times back then.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

My family are all from Alabama, and my wife has 2 relatives who graduated from Bama............one played with Shula

 

[92tide]

I worked with a engineer, who seemed like the least likely guy to be an Alabama fan in the plant. And one day he walks in with this ragged full of holes U of Alabama sweatshirt, so I ask him if he's an Alabama fan. And then he start singing, "

"They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide
Call me Deacon Blues "

Said he decided to be an Alabama fan when he heard the Deacon Blues lyrics.

i have always loved that song. i remember it being played over the cheerleaders' pa pre-game when i was a kid going to games in the late 70's

 

[twofbyc]

When I was six, I started playing football. My mom was a majorette in HS and always loved football; when Bear came home to Mama, I would sit in her lap, listening to Bama games in the radio and became a fan, because she was wild about The Bear. My second oldest brother went to the Barn and almost led me to the dark side, but my oldest went to Bama his senior year (only half, Uncle Sam called and he was off to Nam) and he was my role model. Poor mom had to split her loyalties but only superficially; when Bama played the Barn she cheered loudest for the Tide.
I went to South Alabama, and honestly I pulled for the Jags against Bama in both the b-balls (I was solid in football because South had no team back then, and even now I’d still pull for Bama if they ever played). Old habits are hard to break.